Heel construction



1937. H. VAN MOURIK HEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed March 15, ,1955

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Hem y V4 M01027 ATTORNEY.

May 25, 1937. H: V'AN MOURIK 2,081,510

HEEL CONSTRUGLTION r Filed March 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' (II III INVENTOR. x 5' A Henry Van/7021702 ATTORNEY.

Patented May '25, 1937 AYES AE'EN'E' @FFICE HEEL CONSTRUCTION Henry van Mourik,

Van Mcurik Associates, Inc.,

Detroit, Mich, assignor to Detroit, Mich.,

10 Claims.

This invention relates toimprovements in heel construction for boots or shoes and is a continuation in respect to all common subject matter of my application Serial No. 693,771, filed October 16, 1933.

The object of the invention is to provide what is known as a rubber heel for boots or shoes that may be detachably associated with the sole of the boot or shoe at the heel in a manner to prevent ingress of water between the sole and the rand to be fixed thereto and further to provide a heel portion for detachable association with the rand in water-tight relation when in place.

The commonly known rubber heels have openings for the screws or nails by which they are to the sole and these openings are usualtend to carry mud, snow, water etc., into a home wherein such foreign matter becomes loosened and deposited on carpets, rugs, etc.

The principal feature of the invention resides in the construction of a ran-d that includes a rubber portion engaging the sole of the shoe at the heel and an outer face portion including a metal plate apertured to receive the nails and adapted to be applied to the sole by the same nailing machines now utilized by manufacturers of boots and shoes in securing the usual heel to the sole thus enabling a manufacturer to use the machines with which he now is equipped to apply the heel of my new construction.

It is also an object and feature of my invention to provide a rand attachable to the sole at the heel and a heel portion in slidable detachable association with the rand and adapted to automatically look from sliding movement when in place on the rand, the heel construction for a pair of shoes being practically identical in form and construction and permitting the heel of the respective right and left shoes to be changed to the opposite shoe. Shoe heels usually wear onesided and this interchangeable detachable heel portion permits of change of the heel from one shoe to the other to equalize the wear on the heel face.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision on the rand of bosses on the face engaging the sole and in alignment with the nailing apertures of the rand plate. The purpose of these bosses is to prevent a buckling of the plate by the nailing operation in that the plate is supported by the bosses contacting the sole of the shoe and further, that the apertures of the rand plate are preferably larger than the head of the nail which prevents the nail head from striking the plate and thus buckle the same.

A secondary feature of the invention is involved in the provision of openings in the plate of the heel and molding the heel and its plate together so that the apertures of secondary importance become filled with the rubber like part of the heel which extends to above the heel plate surface. These secondary apertures are of such size and so disposed that sufficient rubber surface is provided to prevent metallic contact between the plate of the heel and the plate of the rand.

A further feature of the invention resides in the construction of the rand having a sharp peripheral edge and the provision of the rubber bosses slightly below the said peripheral edge but above the surface of the face of the rand whereby in the nailing operation, the peripheral edge is held in pressure engagement with the sole of the shoe by the nailing operation, the extent of pressure being determined by the diiference in plane of the faces of the bosses and the said peripheral edge.

These and other objects and the various novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and the preferred form of my improved heel construction .is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a shoe provided with my improved heel construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the face of the rand contacting the sole.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the opposite face of the rand.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the face of the detach able heel engaging the rand.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section taken on line 'l'! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross section of the heel taken on line 88 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on linev 99 of Fig. 1 showing the face of the rand in contact with the sole at the heel and the fastening nails in section.

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of the assembled rand and heel taken on line Hll 9 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a cross section of the rand and heel taken on line I Il of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section showing a modified form of the detachable heel.

In the manufacture of a boot or shoe utilizing my improved heel construction, the rand l is to be nailed to the sole 2 and the heel 3 is detachably associated therewith as hereinafter described. The face of the rand, shown in enlarged view in Fig. 2, has a peripheral edge 4 as shown'more clearly in Fig. i and also has a rib 5 at the forward edge of the heel extending transversely of the rand. This rand, as shown in the drawings, is to be molded to form and a metal plate 6 is molded on the exposed face of the rand. The face of the rand toward the sole of the shoe has a comparatively fiat surface less in thickness than the thickness of the rand at its edge 4 and extends to said edge by a curved portion t as is shown in Fig. 4. On this face is a series of usually seven bosses I integral with the body of the rand and these bosses are aligned with the apertures 8 provided in the plate 6. The bosses I have central apertures l therein as shown in Fig. 5 preferably extending entirely through the bosses to receive the fastening nails. The faces 9 of the bosses are angularly disposed each sloping toward the center of the rand for the reason that the sole of the shoe is somewhat rounded at the heel as is shown at 2 in Fig. 11.

The bosses are less in height from the plate of the rand than is the peripheral edge as is also more clearly shown in the enlarged section Fig. 11. When the rand is nailed to place by introduction of the nails ill, the faces of the bosses 1 are brought to tight engagement with the face 2 of the sole at the heel and the peripheral edge 4 of the rand is slightly compressed, as shown in Fig. 11, to prevent ingress of water between. the rand and the sole. The rib 5 at the forward edge of the rand is also brought into pressure engagement with the sole sufiiciently closely in contact therewith as to prevent leakage but preferably not under as great pressure as the edge 4 of the rand. For this reason, the rib 5 is slightly below the faces of the bosses 1 as will be understood from Fig. 5. The material of which the body of the rand is made is compressible and the bosses compress somewhat under the nailing operation sufficiently to permit the rib 5 to tight: ly engage the sole of the shoe transversely.

A function of these bosses therefore is to predetermine the extent of compression to which the sharp edge 4 is submitted in the nailing operation and further serve to support the plate 6 from deformation by the nailing machine it being comparatively solidly supported during the nailing operation in its proper spaced relation with the sole of the shoe. The rubber portion of the rand also has a series of slots H formed therein which are of the same width as the enlarged portion l2 of the slot in the plate 6.

The enlarged portion l2 of the plate slot opens into a narrow portion !3 of the. slot and has a purpose and function hereinafter described. Likewise, on the plate side of the rand and at the forward edge of the plate are recesses l4 and I5 spaced apart on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the rand and these notches are preferably formed in the rubber portion but not necessarily so. The detachable heel is shown in Fig. 6 and theface of the heel toward the rand is provided with a metal plate Ili having headed lugs l6 projecting from the face-thereof as will be understood from Figs. 7 and 8. This plate Iii also has apertures l1 therein into which the rubber portion l8 flows in the molding operation in formation of the heel and also has larger or secondary apertures l9 in. the central portion thereof which also are filled with the rubber which usually slightly overlies the plate. The purpose of these apertures. I! and I9 is to provide a retaining means for the plate as well as a rubber surface on the plate l5 that engages the face of the plate 6 so that in the event of a slight looseness of these parts occurring in use, a metallic sound does not occur in walking. Without such provision, the act of walking would result in a slight metallic clic The plate 15 of the heel has two lugs 20 and 2| for engagement in the apertures I and I5 of the rand member and this face of the heel, shown in Fig. 6, is provided with a peripheral rib 22 which is brought under slight compression by the forcing of the heel member l8 to place on the rand.

The act of attaching the detachable heel portion I8 is performed by placing the head of the lug IS in the larger portionv 12 of the aperture in the plate 6 of the rand and then moving the heel to the right from the dotted position in Fig. 10 to cause the body of the lugs I6 beneath the heads to ride into the narrow portions 13 of the slots of the rand plate and with the heads overlying the plate. I The larger apertures H of the rubber portion of the rand are provided to permit the described movement of the heads of the lugs. The full lines of the heel 18 in Fig. 10 indicate its final locked position.

In this movement of the heel, considerable tension is occasioned particularly due to the fact. that the lugs 20 and 2| struck up from the heel plate ride on the surface of the plate 6 and as the heel lines in Fig. 10 these lugs snap into the respective apertures 14 and I5. When in this position the heel in'normal use cannot become loosened or kicked out of place longitudinally and the heel and rand contacting faces are held in water-tight relation by the little rib 22 of the heel which engages the rubber face of the rand I.

Preferably, as heretofore stated, the nails in securing the rand to the sole are driven at one blow by a nailing machine. The nailing is performed by a hammer like blow and for this reason the bosses I are provided to absorb the blow and prevent warping of the plate 6. Likewise the apertures Bin the plate 6 are originally slightly coned to receive the heads of the nails as indicated at 23 in Figs. 2 and 10. The rubber rand is therefore securely held in contact with the sole by the nails when driven home and the bosses contacting the sole at the heel prevent buckling of the plate by the nailing operation.

The rand therefore may be applied with the same mechanism now commonly in use by manufacturers of shoes for the attachment of the usual heel and deformation of the rand by the hammer blow of the nailing machine is avoided, it being essential that the plate 6 of the rand shall be practically parallel with the plate l5 of the heel to secure a. proper fit of these parts.

The plate I5 as is also the case with the plate 6 is of comparatively thin material preferably sheet brass or other non-rusting material. When the heel is in place as shown for instance in Fig. 11, a small instrument, as for instance a knife blade, may be introduced between the rand and heel at the forward edge and between the two lugs 20 and 2| of the heel plate whereupon slight pressure may be exerted to force the lugs 20 and 2| out of the notches I4 and IS. The heel l8 may then be moved to the left of the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 10 until the IB comes to. the position shown in full heads of the lugs l6 rest in the large portion 12 of the apertures in the plate 6 and the heel then removed from the rand.

The heel member, shown clearly in Figs. 11 and 12, has no recesses or apertures in its body into which dirt or moisture may accumulate or pass between the not only between the parts at the line of contact of the heel and rand but also is prevented between the rand and the sole to which it is attached.

The rand member I may be formed of any suitable material such as the usual rubber composition but is not necessarily a cushion member. The rubber portion of the heel [8 on the other hand is somewhat compressible to give a cushioning effect to the same degree at least as the usual one-piece rubber heel of commerce and the parts are held together under tension so that ordinarily there is no looseness of the heel member relative to the rand and the metallic contact between the plates of the respective heel and rand is prevented In Fig. 12 a modified form of the heel portion is shown at having a plate 3| in all respects like the plate |5a of Fig. 6. The variation in structure consists in the provision of the headed pins 32, the heads of which .are preferably riveted or may be otherwise secured to the plate 3| prior to the molding in the rubber 30. These pins 32 project through the outer face of the heel 39 providing ground grippers and the pressure applied to the pins 32 in use is distributed practically evenly over the plate surface due to the number of pins. This plate 3| is supported by its contact with the plate of the rand with which it will be associated in the same manner as the heel I8 by the rand l of Fig. 10.

The rand of my structure replaces the usual leather rand provided on soles for use with the usual structure of the rubber heels and the cushion heel is slipped into place or removed from this rand of my structure enabling the same to be replaced when worn with new rubber portions or to permit shifting from one shoe to the other to provide for even wear thereby securing a longer life of the rubber heel than has heretofore been possible.

It will be observed from the foregoing that my new heel construction is of comparatively simple and inexpensive form and that the various objects and features of the invention are obtained as hereinbefore described. 3

Having thus briefly described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. A rand consisting of a rubber member hav ing a plurality of bosses formed on its upper face, a retainer plate vulcanized to said member so that its lower face is exposed, and said plate, member and bosses having openings formed therethrough for passage of fastening means to attach the rand to a sole.

2. A rand comprising a rubber member, a heel retaining plate vulcanized in the lower face of the rand, said rand having its upper face concaved to cause the marginal edge thereof to closely hug the complemental edge of a sole to which it is attached, and bosses rising from within the concavity to prevent a collapse of the latter against the opposed face of the sole when securements are passed through apertures in the retaining plate and the bosses and engaged with the sole.

parts and leakage is prevented 3. A rand for securing to a sole comprising a molded element substantially U shaped in outline, the face of the molded element being concave in form providing an upstanding marginal edge of U form, a rib extending across the forward edge of the rand, a plate embedded flush with the opposite face of the rand, said plate having a series of apertures through which nails may be introduced to hold the rand with said marginal edge in compressible contact with the sole and the rib in contact therewith, means supporting the rand and plate from deformation in the nailing operation.

4. A rand consisting of a moldable material, a plate molded into the material flush with one face thereof, the opposite face of the element being substantially concave in form providing an upstanding marginal edge, bosses in the concave face of the rand, the faces of which are below the marginal edge, the plate having apertures aligned with the bosses through which nails may be driven to secure the rand to the sole of a boot or shoe at the heel, said bosses, through the nailing operation, being forced to engagement with the sole to support the plate from deformation and thereby subjecting the marginal edge of the rand to compression to thereby seal the rand to the sole.

5. A rand comprising a rubber like member, a plate molded in one face thereof, the opposite face being concave providing an upstanding peripheral edge around the outer face of the rand, a rib extending across the forward edge of the rand from one marginal edge of the rand to the other, said rib extending above the surface of the rand to less height than said peripheral edge, said plate having apertures, bosses rising from the concave face of the rand in alignment with the said apertures through which nails may be driven in securing the rand to the sole, the bosses terminating below the plane of the marginal edge and bosses adjacent said rib terminating nearly in the same plane as the transverse rib, the nailing of the rand to the shoe forcing the faces of the bosses to contact with the sole and compressing the said peripheral edge and forcing the rib to tight contact with the sole.

6. In a heel construction for boots and shoes, a rand of moldable material, a metal plate molded in one face of the rand, the plate being of less area than the area of the rand providing a marginal portion of molded material on the plate side, the opposite face of the moldable material having a raised edge portion for contact with the sole of the boot or shoe, said plate and the moldable material having apertures for reception of nails in nailing the rand to the sole, and means limiting the extent of compression of the moldable material by the nailing operation and supporting the plate from deformation.

'7. In a heel construction, a rand of moldable material for attachment to the sole of a shoe at the heel, a plate molded in the material of the rand and of less area than the rand providing a marginal edge of moldable material flush with the outer face of the plate, means for attaching the rand to the sole, a cushion heel construction consisting of a moldable rubber member conforming in outline to the outline of the rand, a plate molded in the face of the heel arranged for detachable connection with the plate of the rand, the plate of the heel being of less area than the heel providing a marginal portion of the heel flush with the plate, and a raised peripheral rib on the face 0f"-the said marginal portion of the heel engaging the moldable material of the rand under pressure when the parts are in assembled relation.

8. A rubber heel for boots and shoes comprising a rand formed of a moldable material, a plate molded into one face of the rand, the opposite face being concave to provide a raised marginal edge, bosses rising from the concave face of the rand terminating below the plane of the said marginal edge, apertures in the plate aligned with the bosses through which nails may be driven to secure the rand to the sole, the bosses in contact with the sole determining the pressure applied to the marginal edge in contact with the sole, said plate having key slots, a compressible rubber heel, a plate molded in the face of the rubber heel and having projections for engagement in the key slots of the rand plate, the arrangement providing that by sliding the heel relative to the rand the heads are forced into the narrow portions of the key slots to support the same and retain the heel in position, and a lock element automatically moved to locking position with the rand upon the heel member being moved to position.

9. In a heel construction for boots or shoes, a rand of moldable material, a plate molded in one face of the said material, the said plate being of the same outline as the rand and of less area providing a marginal portion of the moldable material approximately flush with the outer face of the plate, a cushion heel construction consisting of a moldable rubber member conforming in outline to the outline of the rand, a plate molded in the face of the heel adapted for detachable connection with the plate of the rand, both of the said plates having apertures through which the moldable material of the respective parts may extend providing anchorage for the plates in the respective heel and rand, said rand being adapted to be nailed to the sole of the boot or shoe at the heel and having an upstanding marginal edge forced to pressure contact with the sole by the nailing operation, the marginal edge of the heel on the plate side extending slightly above the surface of the plate and engageable with the marginal molded portion of the rand when the parts are assembled.

10. In a heel construction for boots and shoes, a rand of moldable material, a metal plate molded in one face of the rand, the plate being of less area than the area of the rand providing a marginal portion of molded material on the plate side, the opposite face of the moldable material having a raised edge portion for contact with the sole of the boot or shoe, said plate and the moldable material having apertures for reception of nails in nailing the rand to the sole, means limiting the extent ofcompression of the moldable material by the nailing operation and supporting the plate from deformation, a moldable compressible rubber member having the same outline as the rand, a sheet metal plate molded within the central portion of one face of the heel member practically flush with the moldable material, the marginal edge of the heel member extending slightly above the surface of the plate for contact with the marginal exposed surface of the moldable material of the rand when the parts are assembled, said plate of the rand having key slots and said plate of the heel having headed members for engaging the key slots in slidable relation to secure the parts together as the heel is moved to its final relationship with the rand, and a pair of upstanding lugs on the forward edge of the plate of the heel engaging in apertures provided therefor in the rand when the heel is moved to its final position to sustain the heel from accidental displacement, said heel and heel plate being sufilciently flexible to enable the heel plate to be flexed by an implement insertable between the rand and heel plates to withdraw the lugs of the heel plate from the notches of the rand and permit the heel to be disengaged from the rand.

HENRY VAN MOURIK. 

